Additional Resources

Low-dose CT Scans for Lung Cancer

For the early detection of lung cancer in high risk individuals, The Medical Center offers a lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (CT). A low dose CT scan is a test which utilizes x-ray technology to scan the body. CT uses low doses of radiation to produce a series of detailed pictures of the lungs. Unlike traditional x-ray, CT can more accurately identify early stage cancer when it is most treatable.

Are you at high risk for lung cancer?

A recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggests that adults who have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer but who are at high risk for developing lung cancer should be screened every year with low-dose CT. High risk is defined as people who meet the following criteria:

Are 55 through 80 years old, and

Have a history of heavy smoking, and

Are either current smokers or who have quit within the past 15 years.

Heavy smoking is defined as a smoking history of 30 "pack years" or more. A "pack year" is smoking an average of one pack per day for one year. For example, someone is considered a heavy smoker if they smoke one pack per day for 30 years or smoke two packs per day for 15 years.

Adults who meet the criteria above should also be asymptomatic for lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the symptoms of lung cancer include:

A cough that does not go away or gets worse

Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing

Hoarseness

Weight loss and loss of appetite

Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)

Shortness of breath

Feeling tired or weak

Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back

New onset of wheezing

Lung Cancer Screening using Low-dose CT Scan

The cost of the screening is $125 and is currently not covered by insurance. Only individuals who meet the criteria should be screened using low-dose CT. To check eligibility for the screening, individuals can call The Medical Center at 270-745-1199 or 1-800-231-9621 or talk with their physician. Low-dose CT scans can be scheduled at The Medical Center in Bowling Green, Scottsville, or Franklin, or at Western Kentucky Diagnostic Imaging. A physician order is required for the screening.

About Lung Cancer

What is Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is caused by abnormal cells in the lung that grow out of control. When the extra cells build up, they can form a tumor or spread to other parts of the body. There are two types of lung cancer: small cell and non-small cell. The most common type is non-small cell lung cancer. If found and treated early, non-small cell lung cancer can sometimes be cured using surgery to remove the part of the lung that has the cancer. Learn more about lung cancer.

Statistics

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and in Kentucky. According to the Kentucky Cancer Consortium, Kentucky's death rate from cancer is 46% higher than the national rate. Over 3,500 people died from lung cancer in 2010. It is estimated that over 4,500 cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year. Of those cases, 80% are diagnosed at a late stage.

The number one risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. It is estimated that about 85 percent of lung cancers are caused by smoking. In the United States, Kentucky has the highest rate of smoking.

The risk of developing lung cancer increases with age, with most cancers occurring in people age 55 and older. The risk of lung cancer also increases with the amount and length of time someone smokes.